Many Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone users face a situation where they need to save an important phone conversation, whether itโs a bank call, a pizza order, or a business conversation with a partner. Fortunately, MIUI and the new HyperOS have powerful features built in to automatically or manually record calls that donโt require third-party apps.
But once the recording is done, the question often arises to device owners: where exactly did this file survive and how to find it now? Android's standard file storage system can confuse a beginner by hiding audio deep in the system folders. In this article, we'll go into detail all the ways to listen to recorded conversations, adjust sound quality and manage the archive of calls.
You will learn how to use a built-in voice recorder to access history, how to find files through a file manager, and how to transfer them to your computer. We will also discuss the nuances of how the feature works in different versions of the operating system so that you can quickly find the information you need.
Use of the built-in Dictaphone application
The easiest and most obvious way to hear a saved conversation is to use a regular app that is pre-installed on every Xiaomi device, called a Dictophone, and has a distinctive orange microphone icon, and that's where all the audio recordings made through the phone interface are aggregated.
When you first run the app, you can ask for permission to access the microphone and storage, which is a prerequisite for proper operation. Once you open, you'll see a list of all the records, sorted by date. The conversation records usually have the prefix "Call" or the date of the call in the title, which allows you to quickly identify the desired file among the voice notes.
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If you donโt see the desired entry in the list, try changing the sorting: click on three dots in the corner of the screen and select โBy date of creationโ or โBy nameโ.
Inside the voice recorder interface, you can play the file, pause it, rewind it for a moment, or even cut out the extra snippets. It's convenient to use headphones connected via Bluetooth or a 3.5 mm connector to listen in a quiet environment.
- ๐๏ธ Open the Dictophone app on your desktop or in the Tools folderยป.
- ๐ Go to the All Records or Conversations tab if they are separated.
- โถ๏ธ Click on the desired file to start playback.
- โ๏ธ Use the menu (three dots) to rename or delete the file.
Importantly, newer versions of MIUI may have slightly different interfaces, and some users have noticed that conversation recordings are categorized as separate within the app. If you didn't find the file right away, check the top of the screen for switches between audio types.
Searching for Files through Explorer
If a standard voice recorder doesn't suit you, or if you want to copy a file to a computer, you need to know the exact path to the system folder. Android has a strict hierarchy, and the audio files of phone conversations are stored in a specially designated directory.
Open the file manager and go to the root directory of internal memory. The path to records is usually as follows: โ MIUI โ sound_recorder โ call_rec. In the file. call_rec All your phone calls are located. The files may have an extension.m4a or.mp3, depending on the codec settings.
โ ๏ธ Note: When you delete files directly through the conductor, they don't go to the recorder's basket, but they are deleted irrevocably.
Knowing the exact path, you can easily copy a file, send it through the messenger or rename it in a more understandable way, and it is also convenient to estimate the amount of time you are taking through the conductor: long conversations in high quality can weigh several megabytes.
You can use a search function to make it easier to navigate, and type the word "call" or a file extension like.m4a into the search box, and the system will filter out the extra, which is especially useful if you've accumulated hundreds of records over time.
Listening through call history
There is another, faster way to access the record if you're looking for a conversation that's been going on recently, and Xiaomi's dialing interface has direct integration with the recording function, and when you complete the call, a special icon can appear next to the subscriber's number or contact name.
To use this method, open the Phone app and go to the History tab. Find the right call in the list. If a conversation is recorded, a small voice recorder icon or a recording text will be displayed to the right of the number or below it.
It's a good way to do this with contextuality, where you can see who you've been talking to, when you've been talking to, what the duration of the conversation was, and you don't have to search the file by date or name in the shared folders, but if you clear the call history, the direct link to the record through that interface may disappear, even though the file itself will remain in memory.
Why can't the recording icon be displayed?
In some versions of the shell, when you click on the contact card, you open a detailed menu, where you also have a "Records" tab, which stores an archive of all conversations with this particular subscriber, which is very convenient for tracking the history of communication with customers or support services.
Set up recording and quality parameters
Before you start mass archiving calls, it makes sense to check the quality settings, which depends on how legible the voice of the interlocutor will be when listening, factory settings are not always optimal and can be changed by the user.
To access the settings, open the Phone app, click three dots in the corner and select Settings. Next, look for Call Record, where you can activate automatic recording, select which numbers to record (all unknown, favorites), and most importantly, adjust audio settings.
| Parameter | Description | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| File format | Choice between M4A and MP3 | M4A (better quality with smaller size) |
| Sound source | Microphone or system sound | Microphone (to record the voice of the interlocutor) |
| Quality. | High, medium, low. | High (for important negotiations) |
| Notification | Audible signal during recording | Included (for etiquette) |
The choice of M4A format is often preferred, as it provides a good balance between file size and speech clarity. MP3 format is more compatible with older devices, but can take up more space at similar quality. If you plan to keep an archive for years, it makes sense to choose the highest quality.
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The optimal setting for business negotiations is the M4A format, high quality and mandatory inclusion of a record notification for all participants in the conversation.
You can also find a cleanup option in the settings, which means you can set the system to automatically delete files older than 30 days or when there is a shortage of space, which will prevent the device from overflowing with internal memory.
Working with cloud storage Mi Cloud
Xiaomi smartphones are closely integrated with the Mi Cloud ecosystem, which allows you not only to free up space on your phone, but also to save backup copies of important conversations. If you lose your phone or it goes down, the records will remain available in your account.
To activate sync, go to your phone's settings, select your Mi Account, and go to the Cloud section. Make sure sync for Recorder or Recorder is enabled, and then all new records will automatically be uploaded to the server.
You can listen to the cloud from any device that has Internet access, and you just go to the official i.mi.com website, log in to your login, and go to the appropriate section, which is convenient when you need to find information urgently, and the phone is far away or off.
- โ๏ธ Go to the settings of the Mi Account on the phone.
- ๐ Enable synchronization for the category "Dictorphoneยป.
- ๐ป Open your browser on your PC and go to the cloud site.
- ๐ง Find and listen to the desired file in the web interface.
โ ๏ธ Attention: Free space in Mi Cloud is limited (usually 5GB).If you make a lot of long recordings, the space may run out quickly.In this case, consider buying additional volume or regularly uploading files to your computer.
Transfer and reproduction on a computer
For deep conversation analysis, such as transcription or archiving, the most convenient way to use a computer. PC has more powerful speakers and allows you to work with audio files in professional editors.
Connect your phone to your computer using USB-On the screen of the smartphone will be a request for mode of operation. USB. Select the File Transfer Mode (or MTP). Then a new device will appear in My Computer โ your phone.
In the window that opens, go on the path: Internal Storage โ MIUI โ sound_recorder โ call_rec. So here you'll see a list of all the recordings, and you can copy them to your hard drive just by dragging them with your mouse, and you can play them back with standard players like this. VLC, Windows Media Player or AIMP.
โ๏ธ Checklist for transferring records to PC
If the computer can't see the phone, try another cable or USB-Sometimes you need to install drivers, although in modern versions of Windows 10/11 They're set automatically. Also make sure that the phone screen is unlocked when you're connected.